Juvenile curfew laws are designed to reduce youth-related crime, violence, and delinquency by keeping juveniles at home during the nighttime hours, where they will presumably have fewer opportunities to commit crime or become a victim of crime. More recently, curfew laws have been enacted to apply to the time that youths should be in school, to allow the police to better enforce truancy laws.

The target population of curfew laws includes all juveniles in a geographical area, as defined by specific curfew laws. Some laws specify youths under 18 years of age, while others specify youths under age 17.

Juvenile curfew laws include a variety of regulated activities and penalties. The laws vary in targeted age groups, hours of restricted activities, exceptions, and sanctions.

Curfew hours vary, but often begin at 10 or 11 p.m. during the week and midnight on weekends, and end at 5 or 6 a.m. But some daytime curfew ordinances, designed to keep youths in school and off the streets, have been enacted and apply from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Common exceptions to curfew laws include traveling with a parent or guardian, or returning home from school, work, or a religious activity. Sanctions can include fines (that may increase with the number of violations), community service, or driver’s license restrictions.

Business curfew laws typically restrict the operating hours of some businesses in densely-populated areas, such as liquor stores, restaurants, and grocery stores. These business curfew laws or ordinances often require stores to close between certain hours, such as 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. Cities often implement these laws or ordinances in areas with high levels of crime, loitering, and disorderly conduct. Business curfew laws typically do not apply to late-night pharmacies and bars.

In Hawaii, juvenile curfew laws are established at the county level rather than statewide, and they are designed to prevent crime and protect the welfare of minors by restricting their ability to be in public places during certain hours. For example, on the island of Oahu, which is part of Honolulu County, the juvenile curfew law prohibits minors from being present in public places or establishments between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. the following day, Sunday through Thursday, and between 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Exceptions to the curfew include when the minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian, involved in an emergency, returning home from work or a sanctioned activity, or exercising First Amendment rights. Violations of curfew laws can result in fines and other penalties for both the minors and their parents or guardians. Business curfew laws may also be in place in certain areas to reduce crime and are typically targeted at businesses that operate late at night, such as liquor stores and convenience stores, requiring them to close during specific hours.